WHWB (defunct) former Rutland Vt AM transmitter still around

[w1vtp]

Was curious about my former home Rutland Vt and did a Google on the two radio stations.  WSYB is still on the air.  However, WHWB is now defunct but the AM xmitter is still in the doghouse.  I remember seeing the beautiful 833a finals during a visit as a teen.  Check this out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHWB_%28defunct%29

Note that the xmitter is still around.  I'd LOVE to get my hands on it.  SIGH!

Al

[W4AAB]

Time to call the guys at 94.5 in Rutland and see what they say. BTW, I am picking up a Gates BC1-T this Saturday. It will be on 160m here at the house.

[W1UJR]

Roadtrip?

No photos on the link OM, but bet would be one fine rig indeed, love the 833 bottles.
Now, moving that to the VTP QTH, that might be another story.
Speaking of 833s, K2LNU and I did that once, drove from Buffalo to NJ and back in one day to rescue a RCA BTA500 transmitter, never again. Of course, that is how I got to know Fred Hammond, VE3HC, but that is another story.

QRP Net season soon,
Bruce

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

It's a Raytheon RA-1000 Al, still in the back of the main building according to the article. Been inside it, reinstalled the Johnson relay when I was down there in the summer of '96 or '97. Think I posted about it here recently, maybe it was in a private email. Rough shape. I was put in touch with the station owner who wanted to sell the transmitter back then, he told me to go down to take a look at it. A couple folks in the office when I got there, they waved me through to the back room. I recall it was very dark and messy in there, a bunch of electrolytic twist-loc cans on the window sill, grubby stuff everywhere. Transmitter was in the middle of the room, a massive, dark, foreboding hulk.

When I came out, the program manager was there. He asked what I was doing in there, so I told him I was there to inspect the transmitter before buying it. He said something like 'oh no you're not' and he called the owner. They proceeded to have an increasingly-heated discussion that went on and on. I could see things going nowhere fast, so as they argued, I slipped out the door, got into my truck and headed back north to Randawful.

Turns out the program manager had cut a deal with Dan Churchill of RA-1000 fame to give him the transmitter in exchange for some work he'd done on the newer transmitter. Of course, the owner knew nothing of this. We talked again later, but when he asked me what I'd offer for the transmitter, I said probably only a few hundred dollars at most since stuff was missing, no tubes, etc. He decided that it wasn't worth hassling with the program manager for that amount, and apparently the place closed up shortly thereafter. It was still a family-owned operation when I was there, albeit a different fellow - a son, perhaps.

Dan Churchill is the man for RA-1000 stuff, and I'm going to guess that he still owns the transmitter and uses it as a parts donor for his business. I eventually got my chance to tackle one of those beasts by removing the one from WGAI in Elizabeth City, NC in 2005 around the time Katrina hit. Stopped at one of the last Gaithersburg hamfests on the way home with it. That transmitter now resides in Gray, Maine, in the station of N1MMD. All I can say is - what a transmitter. All 2400 pounds worth.

Good to see that someone has preserved some history of the station. Radio was the voice of the nation not so many years ago.

[WA3VJB]

There was an old Saturday Night Live skit, "Quien es mas macho?"
(which is more manly?)
Followed by two choices.

SO:

Quien es mas macho?

Mr. Raytheon

Mr. GE

I've seen both and wouldn't want either one near me in the next earthquake.

Each is about 2 lbs/watt.

[WA4JK]

That Monkey is a swinging.... to quote a SK one of a kind... Sure miss reading his post and going to miss hearing him this winter...

[W3GMS]

I don't know what it is, but to me you just can not beat a big old BC rig.  I especially like the ones that look art deco in style.  I know its not for everyone, but they sure appeal to me.  I especially like the 20V2's, but others are good looking as well. 

I know you can produce great sounding AM other ways with much higher efficiency, smaller and lighter, but to me they just don't have the look! 

Its great to have choices!!

Joe, W3GMS

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Yes it is, Joe. Not only do the newer rigs and designs not have the look, they don't have the feel or offer the tactile experience, either. And that photo of Patti with the Raytheon is a bit visually deceptive, as the cabinet is as deep as it is wide. You could easily gut the thing out and use it as a walk-in closet. I stood inside the one at Cat Country, along with the one at WGAI while disassembling it, with a fan and big variometer well over my head. Double cabinet design as has been discussed here before, 845s driving 833 modulators, top shelf construction all the way.

I think Dale KW1I owned one of those big GE monsters back in the 90s. For size and weight, it's right there with the RA-1000. Would be tough to be it for quality, though.

[WA1QHQ]

The GE is more macho because it has 15 panel meters vs the Raytheon's measily 13 meters. Both are strapping transmitters but I think the old Western Electrics were the best as far as style goes.

[Opcom]

The GE is more macho because it has 15 panel meters vs the Raytheon's measily 13 meters. Both are strapping transmitters but I think the old Western Electrics were the best as far as style goes.

and the tubes are visible in the GE unless I missed something.

[W4AAB]

Paul, I was thinking that "Quien es mas macho" was from Fridays, the ABC copy of SNL. I remember one episode where they had that question comparing Fernando Lamas and Ricardo Montalban. At the end of the skit, the panel was arrested by the INS as they were illegals. Back to the thread, I am trying to find the info on the weight of the BC1-T. I figure 700 pounds?1000 hours manana I start that experience. I KNOW I will be taking LOTS of pictures and taking LOTS of iron out. Got tool box and wire markers ready.
                                                Joe W4AAB

[W3GMS]

Paul, I was thinking that "Quien es mas macho" was from Fridays, the ABC copy of SNL. I remember one episode where they had that question comparing Fernando Lamas and Ricardo Montalban. At the end of the skit, the panel was arrested by the INS as they were illegals. Back to the thread, I am trying to find the info on the weight of the BC1-T. I figure 700 pounds?1000 hours manana I start that experience. I KNOW I will be taking LOTS of pictures and taking LOTS of iron out. Got tool box and wire markers ready.
                                                Joe W4AAB

Hi Joe,

I did a Google search and found WD8DAS's site.  He has the manual for the BC-1T on his site.  According to the manual, it's weight is 800 lbs.  Get some good strong help and work smarter rather than harder during the move! 

Here is the link I found:

http://www.wd8das.net/Gates/GatesBC-1Tmanual.pdf

Enjoy your new find!

Joe, W3GMS

[John K5PRO]

I parted out a Raytheon RA1000 in Roswell, NM some years back, as it had been ruined at the station, and they wanted it out of there. So I cut loose with most of the iron, the tuning components, the tube sockets and some of the lamps from the front panel. The rest of it was scrap metal picked up. It was so big and all push pull through the RF stages.

[WA3VJB]

Joe -- yes !  Ricardo vs. Fernando was among the bits I remember in the Quien es mas macho routine ...

Their version of SNL must not have lasted long, including its persistence in my memory.